Product description
Etsu Gin is produced at the somewhat enigmatic Asahikawa Distillery on Hokkaido Island. The distillery is owned by Oenon Holdings Inc. and specializes in sake, shōchu, and liqueurs.
The rights to the Etsu brand are held by Bordeaux-based BBC Spirits, which (we assume) has contracted Asahikawa to distill the gin. Its formula includes bitter oranges, licorice, angelica root, coriander, Japanese Sanshō pepper, tea leaves, yuzu (a local fruit somewhat similar to grapefruit), juniper and a few ingredients that the producer does not disclose. The ingredients are macerated for 24 hours in neutral alcohol, and distilled in a copper still. The presentation of Etsu is undoubtedly eye-catching, with the bottle depicting a geisha sitting on a lotus flower, lost in meditation. In 2018, the gin won a double gold medal at the World Spirit Competition in San Francisco. The word “etsu” translates from Japanese to “joy.”
Etsu is a very elegant gin, where floral and citrus tones come to the fore, while juniper, pepper, coriander and licorice form a well-integrated background. This gin fully deserves to be served with an ice cube, and it also tastes great with Fever Tree tonics.